Morning journal and courier., 1887-10-10

not to be repeated in New England. No men
or body of men can force division in our
churches The spirit of Christ has not been
working in our New England Christianity
for the last hundred years to no purpose.
This is the morning of the day of Christian
unity, and not the returning night of intol-
erance and schism. Dismiss the spectres of
the night: turn to the work Of the coming
day.
Yes; but what can be done with the cor
poration of the American board I venture
no prophecy. Time will show. But this
much know, that the ffty-five votes which
were cast in protest against the craftsmanship
and the policy of exclusion in Christian work
to which DIR. Storrs had lent his name rep
resent the educational, moral, and
command the future. If you ques--
ton that statement read the names of
those men and learn what they represent
And the American board, by necessity
which is stronger than the rule OF any party,
must ere long come to a pause in its present
policy of exclusion. A body which has been
drawing on its legacies, as was stated upon
it's platform, at the rate of two hundred
Thousand dollars a year beyond its income
from contributions, stands not far from
precipice 1t must eventually take counsel
and guidance of the churches. 1t must final
Nv put itself into touch and sympathy with
the full life and sympathy of its constituent
CIV. There may be some easier and quicker
way out than this hard way of necessity. l
speak not now of possible plans or purposes
or endeavors which may be suggested or
cherished by leading men on either side. We
must mature these plans with deliberate
Judgment. But do say that the end was
not reached at Springfield. I speak for no
party; register the pledge of no religious
caucus: I divulge the secret of no private
conference; but speak with some knowledge
of the spirit, the purpose and the determine
ton of the men who have been bound to-
gether in this cause, not indeed by identity
of religious opinions or by the domination
among them of any human leader, but by
their faith in Gods unbound word and their
loyalty to the spirit of their master and
Lord, and knowing those men and their con-
victions, 1 affirm that this movement
will not cease nor larry ,,: until the
consecrated missionary service be swept
away, and the truth also conserved, as di-
vine truth only condescends to permit itself
to be guarded, in the liberty of the spirit.
We ourselves-and by we I mean the great
number of earnest Christian men and women
who were represented by the minority at
Springfeld-we have no pride of opinion, no
love of conflict, no bitterness of disappoint
ment or keen love of victory which would
prevent us from welcoming with joy and
Thanksgiving any plan or method of settling
the trouble in the American board. What we
are determined to do is to find some way for
the consecrated youth of our churches to go
to the perishing, taking, it may be, the cup of
Christ from the hand of the American board,
but receiving it simply as the cup of Christ and
filling it freely with the water of life. 1t is
true that we hold different beliefs upon many
points which may be important, but which
are not all-important. We may have many
and diverse opinions; but as in the case of
the patriarchs son, we regard these many
colors as distinguishing the Congregational
coat which we have received from our
fathers; there is ono piety and one
faith in the heart of the Con
gregational church. The time and the
place to discuss our individual beliefs
and our private differences we do not find in
our missionary work, nor at this hour of the
Christian centuries when by great opportuni-
ties the Lord is calling to us, Go work to-
day in my vineyard" We do not undervalue
our differences, but we value more our agree
ments. We would gladly do any good we
may by any thought of our hearts or specula-
ton of our reasons by which any men may be
helped who stand perple1ed before the diff
culties of Christian faith, and we cannot
presumptuously deny to others the right to
walk humbly with any reverent thinker from
the ancient the modern church beneath
those awful problems of human destiny and
the fate of the innumerable dead upon which
rests-as yet no clear ray of revelation; but
while we must think as well as wonder and
worship before the mystery of redemption we
see the clear light of duty and of grace upon
this our present life, and having ourselves re-
ceived the Gospel of Jesus Christ we would
gladly seek with any of our brethren to send
it by ali possible Christian hands throughout
the whole world.
have thus spoken at length and with
sufficient plainness of speech concerning the
questions which have been thrust by the
American board upon our churches. I turn
even from those things which yesterday left
behind and press forward with a goodly
company to those things which are before.
Humbly, yet with clear faith, deeply con-
scious of the gravity of the crisis through
which we are passing, yet confident that the
Lord Jesus Christ is still walking in the way
before his churches, we watch and wait and
work for the coming of the kingdom of
Christ throughout the world.